Top cops of six Naxal affected states meet

Kochi: Top police officers of six naxal affected states- Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh, Odissa, Jharkhand besides Kerala met here on Saturday to consider the threat posed by explosives to security personnel and to suggest amending of the Explosives Act.

Speaking to reporters after the meeting, Kerala DGP Jacob Punnose said that the Union government had already decided to amend existing laws to check the misuse of explosives.

The DGP refused to state the outcome or the recommendations saying they were "confidential".
Punnose said that use of explosives was rampant in Kerala.

Police officials, who are members of a working group constituted by the Centre to look into changes to be brought into the Explosives Act, participated in the meeting.

The DGP denied reports that investigation into the murder of Marxist rebel leader T P Chandrasekharan had been scrapped, saying the probe is still on. "These type of reports appeared in various stages of the investigation," he said.
On media reports of phone tapping of senior police officers probing the case, the DGP said no calls of police personnel were tapped.

Asked about the rampant misuse of SIM cards in Kerala, he said this was another threat the state is facing.

"Private and PSU mobile phone providers sell SIM cards indiscriminately. Police as of now have no role in controlling this. Recommendations have been sent to the government requesting to give sanction to police to take steps to control the menace," he said.